I think the normal bah-humbug tendencies I start to feel at this time of year are slowly dissipating and dare I say it, I *may be* looking forward to Christmas this year. Don’t get me wrong, no decorating until well into December but I am trying to be a little more organised and do some prep in advance. So without further ado I wanted to share with you another small business if you’re looking for something a little special or more unique this festive season than a last minute bottle of over-priced perfume or whisky!
It’s no secret that I love our little pocket of London, and it’s now been more than 8 years since we left west London behind us to make our home south of the river. Thankfully one of my old workmates was already ensconced in Brockley long-term so when we were neighbourhood hunting offered to show us around. Now I could probably write 10,000 words at least as to why this area captured my heart but I won’t bore you, suffice to say that we nestled up in Forest Hill as our first foray into the hood back in 2010.
For four years we rented an adorable little Victorian terrace which the landlady had extended on the ground floor and we really fell in love with the area. By the time we came to buy though prices had risen astronomically and we decided to look around, still staying southeast but seeing if there was an option to get more for our money in the surrounding areas and we did just that.
I genuinely can’t imagine living anywhere else and one of the best things about the area for me is just how creative and buzzy it feels. Whereas west London now feels a bit stuck in time, east and southeast feel so vibrant. And so it is I can introduce you to Place in Print, a small business who started life right here back in 2012 as South London Prints in Herne Hill before moving to Forest Hill and rebranding as Place in Print in 2013 and all these years later are going from strength to strength.
A family-run business, Place in Print is a design studio and retailer offering products from art prints to cards and homewares, producing city prints, county prints artwork for many of your local favourite landmarks. Whilst they have their own in-house design team they also collaborate with some of the UK’s leading graphic artists to bring a broad range of styles to their product range.
Owing to the brand’s heritage there is an emphasis on London and south London in particular from Balham to Brixton, Camberwell to Clapham which is why I knew Place in Print would be such a perfect showcase since many of my readers are local. That said, they also feature artwork reflecting Vienna to New York and the Brecon Beacons to the Lake District so no matter where you or a loved one is in the country or the world, you will undoubtedly find something you love.
Whilst we obviously don’t live in Forest Hill anymore, when Place in Print asked if I’d like to pick something from their collection of products, there could only be one choice, ‘A Walk Around Forest Hill’ by artist Mercedes Leon. It’s the most beautifully detailed artwork capturing all our favourite former neighbourhood haunts in vibrant colours and comes either unframed or in a choice of white, black or wood. The quality is wonderful and £50 for a framed, limited edition print is such a good price for very special Christmas present.
At the moment we’re still doing so much work around the house that I haven’t quite found my perfect spot for my Place in Print artwork but it doesn’t seem to matter where I pop it, it goes beautifully with our home décor. I honestly can’t speak highly enough of this lovely small business so if you’re still in the market for gifts (or even a little treat for yourself) then this is the place to go!
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